Those skilled, or even not particularly skilled, in the art of angling are only too familiar with the ubiquitous problem of the snagged or otherwise lodged fishing lure. A lodged lure is an aggravation for various reasons: the lure may be relatively expensive, it may be a favorite of the angler or the mere fact of the lure becoming lodged may be annoying. In any event, the angler will typically undertake to retrieve a lodged lure by manipulating his rod and line, but such efforts often result in utter defeat and the abandonment of the coveted lure. Therefore, anglers have sought to provide apparatus especially adapted to dislodge and retrieve lodged lures. Among such prior art lure retrieval apparatus are those disclosed in U.S. Letters Pats.: 720,136 to Halliran; 2,316,500 to Bray; 2,479,448 to Woock; 2,562,413 to Carr; 2,765,567 to Fifer; 2,770,062 to Russell; 2,826,849 to Frederick; 3,531,887 to Bortle; and D192,688 to Watts. These lure retrievers, and the subject invention, all belong to the class in which the weighted retriever is slidably coupled to the fishing line which guides it downwardly to the site of the lodged lure. In each case, a special component serves to engage the lure such that a separate, strong cord secured to the retrieval apparatus may be tugged on to hopefully dislodge the lure if it has not been dislodged by the impact of the retriever. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that it is the secure engagement of the retrieval apparatus with the lodged lure that is the key to the success of the retrieval process, and it is to this ongoing area of weakness experienced with the prior art lure retrievers that the present invention is directed.